U.S. patent number 8,621,755 [Application Number 13/442,093] was granted by the patent office on 2014-01-07 for metallized cutlery and tableware and method therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Waddington North America, Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Raymond Chan, Thomas E Ellsworth, William A Gallop, David Gordon, Ashish K Mithal. Invention is credited to Raymond Chan, Thomas E Ellsworth, William A Gallop, David Gordon, Ashish K Mithal.
United States Patent |
8,621,755 |
Mithal , et al. |
January 7, 2014 |
Metallized cutlery and tableware and method therefor
Abstract
A plastic cutlery item molded from a plastic material, such as
polystyrene, having a metallic coating that imparts to this cutlery
item the appearance of metal cutlery or silverware. In one
embodiment the plastic cutlery or tableware items are molded using
injection molding techniques, and subjected to a vacuum metallizing
process in an individualized non-contiguous manner, where a thin
metallic layer is deposited on at least one of their surfaces. The
resultant items simulate the appearance of metal cutlery or
tableware. In one embodiment of the invention the plastic cutlery
or tableware articles are molded from a clear polystyrene resin and
are coated with a thin stainless steel layer through vacuum
sputtering deposition on only one of the sides. The abrasion
resistance of the metallic coating can be enhanced by subjecting
the articles to a post-metallizing holding period or by applying a
clear protective overcoat.
Inventors: |
Mithal; Ashish K (Chelmsford,
MA), Gordon; David (Groton, MA), Ellsworth; Thomas E
(Wilmington, MA), Chan; Raymond (Framingham, MA), Gallop;
William A (Westminster, MA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mithal; Ashish K
Gordon; David
Ellsworth; Thomas E
Chan; Raymond
Gallop; William A |
Chelmsford
Groton
Wilmington
Framingham
Westminster |
MA
MA
MA
MA
MA |
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Waddington North America, Inc.
(Chelmsford, MA)
|
Family
ID: |
46150464 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/442,093 |
Filed: |
April 9, 2012 |
Prior Publication Data
|
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20120192435 A1 |
Aug 2, 2012 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
12757303 |
Apr 9, 2010 |
8176641 |
|
|
|
11123409 |
May 6, 2005 |
|
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10228147 |
Jan 10, 2006 |
6983542 |
|
|
|
60314677 |
Aug 24, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
30/322;
30/324 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C09D
1/00 (20130101); B32B 27/06 (20130101); A47G
21/16 (20130101); C23C 14/205 (20130101); A47G
21/00 (20130101); A47G 19/03 (20130101); A47G
19/2205 (20130101); Y10T 428/265 (20150115); Y10T
428/31678 (20150401); Y10T 428/31692 (20150401); Y10T
428/24917 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A47J
43/28 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;30/322,324,340,142-150 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2458486 |
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Nov 2008 |
|
CA |
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1323812 |
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Jul 2007 |
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CN |
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1427573 |
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Jun 2006 |
|
EP |
|
1955620 |
|
Aug 2008 |
|
EP |
|
57005870 |
|
Jan 1982 |
|
JP |
|
03018270 |
|
Mar 2003 |
|
WO |
|
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|
Primary Examiner: Sanchez; Omar Flores
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Maine Cernota & Rardin
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 12/757,303, filed Apr. 9, 2010, which is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/123,409, filed May 6, 2005, which is
a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/228,147, filed Aug. 26, 2002, which, in turn claims the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/314,677, filed Aug.
24, 2001; said applications are incorporated herein, in their
entirety, by reference for all purposes.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A metallized plastic food-service item, comprising: a plastic
cutlery article for handling and consuming food, said plastic
cutlery article comprising a first portion and a second portion; a
thin metallic coating deposited on said first portion of said
plastic cutlery article by a vacuum deposition process, wherein
said thin metallic coating is of a sufficient thickness to impart a
reflective metal appearance to said first portion of said plastic
cutlery article, said thickness being less than 2000 nanometers;
and said second portion of said cutlery article being characterized
by absence of said thin metallic coating, and said second portion
of said plastic cutlery article retaining its plastic
appearance.
2. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said second portion of said plastic cutlery article
comprises a handle portion of said plastic cutlery article.
3. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said first portion of said plastic cutlery article
comprises a head portion of said plastic cutlery article.
4. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said plastic cutlery article is adapted for placement on a
table surface with said first portion displaying said reflective
metal appearance and said second portion displaying said plastic
appearance.
5. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said plastic cutlery article is one of a fork, a knife, and
a spoon.
6. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said plastic cutlery article is produced by injection
molding.
7. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein at least a portion of said plastic cutlery article is
molded from a light-transmitting plastic material.
8. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein at least a portion of said plastic cutlery article is
molded from a colored plastic material.
9. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said first portion is made from a light transmitting
plastic material, and said second portion of said plastic cutlery
article is made from a colored plastic material.
10. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said thin metallic coating is less than 1000 nanometers in
thickness.
11. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said thin metallic coating is less than 200 nanometers in
thickness.
12. The metallized plastic food-service item according to claim 1,
wherein said vacuum deposition process is a sputtering deposition
process.
13. The metallized plastic food-service according to claim 1,
wherein said thin metallic coating is stainless steel.
14. The metallized plastic food service item according to claim 1,
wherein said plastic cutlery article is adapted for disposable
use.
15. The metallized plastic food service item according to claim 1,
wherein said plastic cutlery article is at least partially composed
of polystyrene.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the production of food-service
articles for household, catering and restaurant use including
commercial and institutional tableware. More particularly, this
invention relates to plastic cutlery having a reflective or
metallic appearance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disposable plastic food-service items are in increasingly
widespread use for storing, serving and consuming food, due to
their reasonably low-cost and the convenience they provide.
Disposable food containers and articles inter alia include
non-returnable containers such as yogurt cups and dinner entree
packaging; microwavable storage containers; and, general tableware
items such as plastic plates, cups and cutlery. The increasing
popularity of fast-food restaurant chains further fuels the demand
for plastic tableware and takeout packaging. In addition to the
fast food restaurants, caterers also prefer disposable food service
items for the associated convenience, hygiene and
competitive-costs. In this regard, it is important to note that
replacement costs for disposable items such as cutlery articles are
usually offset by clean-up costs (labor, materials and equipment)
generally associated with permanent flatware. In addition,
permanent flatware also has to be replaced due to inadvertent
disposal or loss.
The presence of non-disposable metal cutlery along with other
disposable food-service articles such as plates, cups and the like
presents an unusual problem for restaurants and caterers. The
problem stems from the loss of valuable metal cutlery into trash or
refuse-containers along with disposable tableware and food remnants
particularly during peak business hours and rush situations. As a
result, the food establishment has to constantly replace expensive
metal flatware. There has been a long-standing need to solve the
problems relating to loss and inadvertent disposal of real
silverware, as readily evidenced by the following excerpts taken
from the patent literature:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,792, to Buford, filed on Aug. 23, 1973, in
Column 1, lines 12 to 30 states:--"The food industry has long been
plagued with the costly and time-consuming problem of separating
valuable reusable items, such as metal tableware from solid waste,
such as food, paper and other disposable items. This problem is
prevalent in any food service facility, such as restaurants,
cafeterias, schools, prisons, and so on, in which plates must be
scraped and/or tableware separated from garbage by hand sorting or
by scavenging, and especially in the airline industry where there
is no opportunity for sorting in flight. Even when manual sorting
or scavenging is carried out, it has been found that a large amount
of tableware is lost. For example, a set of airline tableware only
lasts about seven flights. It is obvious that continued replacement
of tableware is not only expensive, but economically wasteful. Some
restaurants have found that most missing tableware is lost, rather
than taken by customers, and that such losses run as high as $1,300
on a traditionally heavy day."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,138, to Kustas, filed on Jun. 8, 1981, in
Column 1, lines 11-16 states:--" . . . As is well-known in the
restaurant business, the loss of silverware or stainless steel
flatware is a very serious problem which costs restaurant owners
large sums of money every year. The problem stems from careless
kitchen help and the manner in which food and debris is removed
from used dishes."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,253, to Stromgren et al., filed on Dec. 6,
1984, in Column 1, lines 35-49 states:--"In conjunction with a
waiter scrapping food waste from plates into a waste container, it
quite often happens that cutlery accompanies the waste into the
container. For obvious reasons, the waiter avoids putting his arm
down into the waste container to retrieve the dropped item. Studies
made in restaurant kitchens in hotels associated with several
intercontinental hotel chains show that not only an occasional item
of cutlery is lost in this way, but even the cutlery used by all
the guests at a table may be accidentally tipped into the waste
container together with waste food, particularly when the
restaurant is busy and the waiter rushed. It must be regarded as
natural that the waiter also avoids taking up the cutlery dropped
into the waste container in such circumstances."
In addition, market research conducted by Waddington North America,
Inc., the assignee of the present invention, shows that caterers
estimate a loss of 15% to 30% of permanent flatware annually.
Another problem that food caterers encounter is the ability to
clean metal flatware utensils at certain locations and outdoor
catering events. In preparation for such circumstances caterers
tend to carry a large inventory of expensive metal cutlery. The use
of disposable plastic cutlery for such catering events would
eliminate the limitations with cleaning metal flatware, handling
heavy metal cutlery or keeping a large inventory thereof. In
addition, it is noteworthy that disposable cutlery offers
significant handling advantages compared to its metal-counterparts.
For example, a typical cutlery combination containing a fork, a
knife, a tablespoon, and a teaspoon would weigh about 200 grams for
metal flatware versus about 30 grams for premium plastic cutlery.
Applying these weights to a hypothetical 250-person event would
yield an overall weight for metal cutlery of about 110 lbs., as
compared to only 16 lbs. for plastic cutlery.
After the tragic 9-11 terrorist attacks with hijacked airplanes and
the potential threat resulting from misuse of stainless steel
flatware as weapons, there has been an increased tendency for major
airline organizations to utilize disposable plastic cutlery while
serving meals during flights. However, the use of disposable
plastic cutlery affects the image of the airline, especially in
premium seating and higher priced flights. What is lacking in the
industry is a silverware article that is authentic looking yet is
made of plastic would allow the Airlines to preserve their upscale
image, particularly in the premium passenger classes, while
continuing to enhance flight safety and maintaining compliance with
legal and regulatory mandates.
A significant number of upscale catering establishments utilize
disposable plastic cups, plates, and bowls etc. for catering
functions. However, there is a general preference for continued use
of traditional metal cutlery, primarily because of a perception gap
between disposable plastic cutlery articles and permanent flatware.
Disposable cutlery articles are generally regarded as having
less-than-classic appearance and not suited for an upscale
presentation; while, permanent flatware is generally regarded as
more upscale and having a superior image. This perception gap is
not entirely due to the superior strength of permanent flatware.
Although stainless steel cutlery or permanent flatware is stronger
than plastic cutlery, heavy weight plastic cutlery is functionally
adequate for most occasions. Thus, a primary obstacle for use of
disposable plastic cutlery in upscale situations is the perception
and the image associated with disposable plastic cutlery rather
than its performance.
From the foregoing, it can be readily appreciated, that there is a
need for cutlery and food-handling implements that offer the
disposability and convenience of plastic cutlery and the upscale
perception generally associated with permanent flatware. Bridging
the perception gap between disposable plastic cutlery and permanent
flatware would naturally lead to greater acceptance of disposable
plastic cutlery for use in upscale situations, by caterers and
other food-service establishments, where traditionally permanent
flatware heretofore has been the only alternative.
With respect to plastic articles, there are a variety of methods
for coloring and/or decorating plastic articles that have been
employed in the art including--dyeing, pigmenting, printing, hot
stamping, heat transfers, in-mold decorating, spray painting, and
electroplating. Printing techniques have been further classified as
silkscreen printing, gravure or offset printing, and pad transfer
printing.
Coloring or pigmenting is one of the most common and inexpensive
methods to modify or enhance the appearance of a plastic article.
Coloring typically involves incorporating a pigment or a dye into
the plastic resin that is used for molding plastic articles.
Pigments can be in the form of solid color concentrates or in the
form of liquid color. Metallic pigments are known in the art and
are commercially available; however, it is the general experience
of those skilled in the art that these metallic pigments do not
impart an authentic metallic look. Furthermore, metallic pigments
do not provide a plastic cutlery article that emulates the polished
silver-like metallic appearance of fine cutlery or silverware. In
fact, almost all commercial plastic tableware or cutlery articles
made by utilizing a silver metallic pigment have a dull or grayish
appearance. In addition, some of the formulations for metallic
pigments have an odor which is less-than-desirable for a
food-service item.
Printing with single or multi-colored inks is commonly used for
decorating plastic articles. The types of inks that can be used
with food service articles tend to be limited due to food contact,
toxicity and environmental issues. In addition, at least some of
the inks frequently require a protective overcoat to overcome food
contact issues. Metallic inks are known in the art; however,
metallic inks also have similar food contact drawbacks and are not
adapted for use with food handling implements due to a variety of
reasons. Firstly, it would be difficult to handle the
three-dimensional shape of a fork or a spoon and to apply a uniform
layer of metallic ink thereon in an economic or consistent manner.
Secondly, metallic inks do not provide the characteristic
reflective appearance of a polished stainless steel flatware item
or similar metallic article. Thirdly, the appearance of metallic
inks would be further marred by the necessity of adding a
protective overcoat for safety and food contact purposes.
In-mold labeling or decorating refers to the technique for
decorating a plastic article wherein a label is strategically
placed inside the mold prior to molding and held against a mold
face by vacuum or mechanical means, thereafter hot plastic resin is
introduced into the mold to effect label adhesion onto the molded
part; and, thereby the label and the molded part are integrated
into a unified article. Although, it is conceivable that a metallic
label can be devised for use in injection molding, in-mold labeling
is mostly limited for parts that either have a planar surface or a
smooth curved surface such as the outer wall of a cup. In-mold
labeling is not readily or economically adaptable for articles
having complex three dimensional shapes such as typical spoons or
forks. In addition to general shape constraints, in-mold labeling
operation on a cutlery article would further prove to be quite
challenging due to the presence of ornate features or fine and
intricate patterns frequently incorporated on the surface of a
plastic cutlery article for commercial acceptance and in
consistency with traditional flatware design trends. It would be
readily recognized by those of ordinary skill that the presence of
any delicate design features on the surface of the article would
interfere with in-mold label adhesion, which in turn would lead to
wrinkling of the label on the part surface and detract from the
overall appearance of the cutlery article.
Heat transfers and hot-stamping techniques provide additional
options for decorating plastic articles. In particular, metal foil
stamping can provide an authentic metallic-look when strategically
placed on a plastic surface. Once again these techniques are not
suited for articles having complex three-dimensional geometry such
as cutlery articles. Foil wrinkling and/or inconsistent adhesion in
the intricate detail areas of a cutlery article limit the utility
of the foil stamping process for obtaining disposable cutlery
having the appearance of permanent flatware or authentic
silverware.
Electroplating methods for metallizing plastic cutlery articles are
undesirable due to the environmental impact associated with
electroplating chemicals as is known in the art. In addition, not
all plastics can be readily electroplated. Furthermore,
electroplating offers several challenges in terms of handling and
processing cutlery articles economically.
Various metallizing methods have been described in the art,
including U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,554 that describes metallized
tableware, such as plates, cups, etc., made of a paper substrate, a
metallized plastic film joined to the substrate, and an FDA
approved top coating over the plastic film. This method of
obtaining a metallic-look food service items by laminating a
metallized film is not readily applicable to cutlery due to the
fact that most plastic cutlery is generally produced by the
injection-molding process wherein the feedstock is thermoplastic
resin pellets and not laminated film. The shortcomings of
incorporating a metallic foil or label during injection molding
plastic cutlery have been discussed herein above. Similar
shortcomings would typically apply to the use of a laminated
metallic film.
Other approaches to metallization such as those used by Quest et
al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,177,124 and 5,280,052) describe a utilitarian
and/or decorative object and a method for forming plastic parts
having a metallic outer face, appearance and hand. In this
technique, a mixture of a liquid monomer, curing agent, a
dispersion of metal particles and floatable particles are poured
into a mold. The mold is then centrifuged to cause the metal
particles to migrate towards the surface of the piece before the
monomer polymerizes and hardens to bind the particles. After
removal from the mold, the outer face of the piece is polished and
buffed to remove the plastic skin from the metal surface, whereby
the resultant plastic piece simulates the appearance of a solid
metal piece. This method is generally too cumbersome for
application to plastic cutlery as most plastic cutlery is either
made of polystyrene and/or polypropylene which are thermoplastic
polymeric materials and do not easily lend themselves to the
teachings of the referenced art. In addition, the typical process
for producing cutlery is injection molding and it is difficult and
cost-prohibitive to rotate a heavy injection mold. And, finally the
secondary step of cleaning and buffing the plastic piece is
expensive and may be unacceptable for food-service use.
Various references are available on plating of plastic materials by
chemical deposition techniques, electro-deposition techniques
and/or a combination thereof. Some plating methods are described in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,607,350; 3,629,922; 3,896,252; 3,962,494; 4,
4,610,895; 3,445,350; 4,039,714; 4,073,743; 4,195,117; and
4,810,333. These techniques are essentially wet processes and
require that parts be brought into contact with solutions
containing metal ions, which must then be washed off to remove any
residual chemicals and for general hygiene reasons for a food
service article. These processes are relatively unattractive for
metallizing cutlery because of the high processing and
environmental costs.
Thus, it can be readily established that there is a need for fine
plastic cutlery that has an enhanced visual and commercial appeal.
The improved plastic cutlery should be inexpensive, permitting
simple disposal and not requiring separation from food refuse. Such
an invention should be manufactured without environmental
shortcomings generally associated with metal-plating wet processes.
An improved plastic cutlery article should be fabricated primarily
from plastic materials, yet have the appearance of genuine metal on
the outer surface such that it is practically indistinguishable, at
least visually, from a fine metal flatware or cutlery article.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is devised in the light of the problems
described herein. Accordingly it is a general object of the present
invention to provide cutlery or flatware items that can (a) solve
problems associated with present techniques for enhancing the
visual appeal and upscale image of disposable plastic cutlery; (b)
address the specific long-felt need for solving problems related to
inadvertent loss and disposal of permanent flatware at restaurants
and catering events; and (c) bridge the perception gap between
disposable plastic cutlery and permanent flatware. In one aspect of
the invention these needs are met by imparting a metallic
appearance to disposable plastic cutlery or flatware articles.
The present invention was derived in-part from the recognition
that--imparting a metallic appearance to disposable plastic cutlery
would enhance the perceived value and quality of the cutlery items
and bridge the perception gap between plastic cutlery and permanent
flatware.
The same is true for the additional tableware items such as cups
and plates. Employing a metallic appearance such as gold or silver
to the plates and cups to coordinate with the cutlery enhances the
aesthetics and provides a more regal presentation. The state of the
art generally does not introduce metallized plastic cups and plates
due to the difficulties discussed herein. Thus while the present
description focuses on cutlery, the information is also relevant to
other tableware items and is within the scope of the present
invention.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide premium
disposable cutlery item(s) fabricated mainly from plastic materials
and having a metallic surface appearance that simulates genuine
metal or permanent flatware.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method,
which lends itself to mass production of plastic cutlery having an
authentic metallic appearance at a reasonable cost for disposable
use.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
method for metallizing injection-molded plastic cutlery at a
reasonable incremental cost.
A further object of the present invention is to provide disposable
cutlery that has the appearance of fine metal cutlery.
A further object of the present invention is to obtain a plastic
object, such as a cutlery item, which is molded from a light
transmitting thermoplastic material and is subsequently
metallized.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for
metallizing plastic cutlery articles that obviates the need for
coating articles on both sides for emulating metal silverware.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
plastic article such as a cutlery item, molded from a light
transmitting thermoplastic material, which is metallized on one
side only. In this respect, it is worth mentioning that plated
metal silverware is generally plated on both sides of the metallic
substrate--display side as well as underside. One of the unexpected
aspects and novelty of the present invention is that the disposable
plastic cutlery articles having the appearance of real silverware
can be obtained in a commercially viable and economically
attractive fashion by metallizing--on one side only. In other
words, a clear or light-transmitting plastic cutlery article can be
metallized on one side only with practically the same results
and/or appearance as a cutlery article coated on both sides.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
plastic cutlery article that emulates the reflective appearance of
permanent flatware without being coated throughout and/or on all
sides.
A further object of the present invention is to provide cutlery
items having a surface geometry that cooperates with the metallic
coating. Cutlery items according to this aspect of the invention
are characterized by having a plurality of surface design features
including alternating concave and convex areas, ribs, flutes,
ornate patterns and other artistic features that enhance the
reflective appearance and commercial appeal of the metallized
plastic cutlery.
A further object of the invention is to provide metallized cutlery
articles with design features or areas that have contrasting
reflective properties in comparison to the rest of the article, and
therefore become sharply defined and visibly distinct and further
add to the commercial appeal of the metallized articles. For
instance, the surface of the plastic article may include
alternating smooth and textured areas, or alternating engraved and
non-engraved areas, or patterns thereof that, upon metallization,
are adapted to standout and highlight the reflective contrast
between the smooth and textured areas or between the engraved and
non-engraved areas of the plastic article.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a
method for improving the adhesion between the metallic coating
layer and the plastic substrate by subjecting the metallized
plastic cutlery items to a post-metallizing curing step.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for
improving the adhesion between the metallic coating layer and the
plastic substrate by pre-treating the plastic cutlery article with
treatments such as flame treatment, plasma treatment or subjecting
it to a corona discharge.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide
metallized plastic cutlery items, with improved abrasion resistance
and adhesion between the plastic article and the metallic coating
layer, by applying a clear coating over the thin metallic coating
layer. The clear coating or overcoat enhances the abrasion
resistance characteristics of the metallic layer and can be applied
by spraying or other means. FDA approved versions of over coating
compositions can be readily obtained from a variety of vendors.
A further object of the present invention is to provide metallized
cutlery, with improved abrasion resistance and adhesion between the
plastic article and the metallic coating layer, by applying a clear
silicon dioxide plasma coating over the thin metallic coating
layer.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide
metallized cutlery items having good opacity and enhanced optical
density by incorporating a color tint, such as a gray tint, in the
base plastic resin material.
An object of the invention is a metallized plastic food service
item, comprising a plastic tableware article with a thin metallic
coating deposited on the plastic tableware item, wherein the thin
metallic coating is deposited by a vacuum deposition process. The
tableware items include cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, as
well as other tableware items such as trays, plates, bowls, and
cups.
Yet a further object of the invention is a metallized plastic food
service item, wherein the thin metallic coating is selected of a
metal from the group consisting of silver, steel, stainless steel,
chromium, aluminum, copper and gold. For commercial reasons, the
thin metallic coating is generally less than 3000 nanometers (nm)
and in one embodiment of the invention is less than 1000 nm. In a
further embodiment of the invention the thin metallic coating is
less than 200 nm. In addition, the article can further comprise a
thin overcoat of a curable clear coating on the thin metallic
coating. In addition, the plastic tableware article can have the
metallic coating disposed on a single surface of the plastic
tableware article.
An additional object of the invention is a metallized plastic food
service item, wherein the plastic tableware article is composed of
polystyrene or other light transmitting plastic material and is
produced by injection molding; and, wherein the metallized plastic
food service item has an optical density of less than 5.5 and
preferably less than 2.0 as measured by a densitometer. Optical
density should be greater than about 0.5 as the aesthetic
appearance at lower values is not highly pleasing.
An object of the invention is a metallized plastic food service
article produced by the process comprising the steps of forming a
plastic body by injection molding, placing the plastic body into a
vacuum metallizing unit, and depositing on the plastic body a thin
metallic coating by a vacuum deposition process. In one embodiment
the vacuum deposition process is physical vapor deposition, and in
particular sputtering vapor deposition, with the sputtering
deposition process utilizing plasma generated by Argon or mixtures
of Argon and Nitrogen.
A further object of the invention is to enhance the adhesion and
abrasion resistance of the metallic coating by holding the
metallized articles in a clean and dry area and subjecting them to
spontaneous curing for a period ranging from about one day to about
two weeks.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the
following detailed description, wherein we have shown and described
only a few embodiments of the invention, simply by way of
illustration of certain modes contemplated by us for carrying out
our invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of a
variety of different embodiments, and its several details are
capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing
from the spirit and the scope of the invention.
The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive
and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be
apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the
drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted
that the language used in the specification has been principally
selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to
limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be readily understood by the following
detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements,
and in which:
FIG. 1A shows an isometric view of a fork with metallic coating
that has been constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 1B is a side profile view of a fork with metallic coating in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2A is an isometric view of a spoon with metallic coating in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2B is a side profile view of a spoon with metallic coating in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3A is an isometric view of a knife with metallic coating in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3B is a side profile view of a knife with metallic coating in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a typical cutlery item
exhibiting a metallic coating in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention.
FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a knife with metallic coating
deposited on a portion thereof in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
One intention of the instant invention, inter alia, was to develop
disposable cutlery articles that emulate permanent flatware or
metal silverware. The present invention recognizes that--imparting
a metallic appearance to disposable plastic cutlery would enhance
the perceived value and quality of the cutlery items and bridge the
perception gap between plastic cutlery and permanent flatware.
Prior to the instant invention there were two main classes of
flatware or cutlery--(1) Permanent Flatware or Silverware,
characterized by its durability, metallic appearance and upscale
image; and, (2) Plastic Cutlery known for its convenience and
disposable characteristics but generally regarded as a low-end
alternative to permanent flatware and not as aesthetically
attractive. The instant invention provides a new category of
plastic flatware articles that retain their disposable character
yet offer the upscale image, reflective appearance and elegance
comparable to their more expensive silverware counterparts.
Historically, "silverware" has been around for centuries, while
"stainless steel cutlery" was developed and patented around 1916
and has been around commercially since around the 1920s. The
development of stainless steel cutlery is generally attributed to
Harry Brearley of Sheffield, England (U.S. Pat. No. 1,197,256
titled "Cutlery", Sep. 5, 1916). Plastic cutlery has been around at
least since 1960s. This is corroborated by the filing dates and
subject matter in U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,416. Specifically, in Column
1, lines 8-11 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,416 to Goldrosen filed on Nov.
22, 1961, particular reference is made to molded forks, knives and
spoons.
Despite the facts that--plastic cutlery has been available for at
least 40 years; stainless steel cutlery has been around for over 80
years; silver-plated metal flatware was available for several
centuries; and metallizing methods have also been known in the
art--there was no plastic cutlery product that emulated permanent
flatware or metal silverware prior to the instant invention.
The term "silverware" refers to flatware or cutlery articles that
are either made of silver or made of a metallic materials and then
silver plated. The term is sometimes also used generically for
metal or stainless steel flatware. The Encyclopedia Britannica
defines "silverware" as "table knives, forks and spoons that are
made of silver"; while Dictionary.com defines silverware as "(1)
Hollowware and flatware made of or plated with silver; and (2)
Metal eating or serving utensils". Thus, for all purposes
"silverware" connotes either silver flatware; or silver-plated
flatware; or just generically metal flatware or cutlery, which may
be silver in appearance or any other metallic appearance.
The terms such as cutlery, flatware, serving cutlery, cutlery
items, cutlery articles, utensils, eating implements, food
implements, food service tools, or food-handling implements as used
in this description and claims are used in a generic and broad
sense. These terms encompass disposable plastic cutlery items
molded into standard food-handling or serving implements such as
forks, spoons, knives, serving utensils and/or combinations thereof
including spatulas, sporks, ladles, seafood forks, seafood picks,
soup spoons, and the like. Accompanying items such as napkin rings,
candle holders, and centerpiece receptacles are sometimes designed
to match the cutlery items. Finally, the various assortments of
goblets, glasses, soup bowls, dishes, plates, trays, champagne
flutes, lids, and the like are also sometimes matched to the rest
of the serving items and are all within the scope of the present
invention wherein all these articles are considered tableware. The
embodiments are merely illustrations of the techniques, and there
are many other variations and applications all within the scope of
the invention.
In contrast to metal flatware which exhibits the color of the
material of construction or the subsequent plating treatment
imparted to the article, plastic flatware or cutlery is generally
available in either "natural, clear or non-colored" or "colored"
forms or versions. Disposable cutlery items, which are currently
sold in the marketplace, are typically constructed of either
polystyrene and/or polypropylene resins. Most commercial plastic
cutlery which is "natural, clear or non-colored" is made of clear
polystyrene resin and exhibits the transparent characteristics of
the material of construction namely polystyrene. "Colored" plastic
cutlery can be made of either polystyrene or polypropylene and is
generally colored by using a "color concentrate" that is added to
the base resin in an injection molding process.
In light of the above disclosure and utility of metallizing plastic
cutlery articles with the purpose of simulating metal flatware--it
would be apparently desirable, for a person of ordinary skill, to
metallize or coat plastic cutlery articles throughout, in other
words on all sides and surfaces of the article. All cutlery
articles heretofore have been completely coated on all sides. This
typical approach of coating the entire article would lead a person
of ordinary skill towards either, electroplating type processes
wherein the entire article can be submerged in a plating solution;
or, other metallizing processes where cutlery articles are
subjected to the metallizing source at least twice--firstly to coat
the display side (face side) and, secondly to coat the underside or
undersurface of the cutlery articles. It would be readily
recognized that both of the approaches for practicing the invention
of metallizing cutlery articles, namely by coating the articles in
a plating bath or subjecting them to metallizing twice have
disadvantages that make them neither practical nor economical.
Furthermore, plating has other disadvantages which have been
discussed herein.
The inventors overcame the problem of preserving the economics of
metallizing plastic cutlery articles without resorting to a plating
process or to a two stage metallizing method. One of the unexpected
and novel aspects of the present invention is that the disposable
plastic cutlery articles having the appearance of metal silverware
or permanent flatware can be obtained in a commercially viable and
economically attractive fashion by molding plastic cutlery articles
from clear or light-transmitting resins and metallizing them on one
side only. In other words, a clear or light-transmitting plastic
cutlery article can be metallized on one side only with practically
the same results and/or appearance as a cutlery article coated on
both sides.
In a further embodiment of the invention, currently being practiced
commercially, the plastic cutlery articles are vacuum metallized on
one side only and yet achieve the desired appearance and result of
emulating a metal silverware or permanent flatware article. It is
worth noting that permanent flatware is either plated on both sides
or the entire article is constructed from the same bulk material
throughout, whereby typical flatware articles generally exhibit
similar appearance on all sides thereof. The plastic cutlery
article according to a third embodiment is molded from crystal
polystyrene resin and is vacuum metallized on one side only.
Also, it should be readily apparent that metallizing or depositing
the metal layer on only one side of the article offers several
economic advantages in comparison to coating the entire article.
Firstly, there are coating or metal material savings, as
approximately only one-half of the surface area of the parts is
metallized. Secondly, there are metallizing process savings as
parts are subjected to the deposition mechanism only once, and only
one pass through the metallizer or metallizing equipment is
required. Thirdly, there are output or productivity gains resulting
from shorter cycle times as the same metallizing equipment or asset
can coat or metallize twice as many parts with only one sided
coating as would be possible for metallized parts requiring coating
on both sides thereof. Lastly, one sided coating simplifies part
handling as no turning or flipping of the parts for metallizing the
underside or second side is required.
Thus, while the metallized cutlery can be coated on both sides,
coating the cutlery articles on both sides is more expensive and
economically less attractive, as two metallizing cycles would be
required to coat both sides of the articles resulting in reduced
output per unit time; the metal material cost would be increased;
the capital outlay would also increase, as in order to sustain an
equivalent output rate additional metallizing machines would be
required; lastly, coating both sides would require more complex
part handling mechanisms for turning or flipping the parts for
presenting the second side of the articles for metallizing, without
affecting or scratching the metallic coating on the side previously
metallized. Thus, the economic benefits of coating or metallizing
on one side only, enhance the commercial viability of this
embodiment of the invention and the ability to practice the
invention in a competitive manner and offer metallized plastic
cutlery at reasonable prices for disposable applications.
From an aesthetic standpoint the metallized coating is applied to
the side which typically faces up in a traditional table-setting
for placing cutlery implements. A traditional place setting
typically includes a fork with tine facing upwards, a spoon with
the concave bowl facing upwards and a knife with the serrated edge
placed pointing left and away from the user; handle portions of all
eating implements are towards the user. Various other tableware
articles may accompany the traditional setting.
It would be clear to those skilled in the art that a variety of
thermoplastic polymer types and/or resin grades can be employed for
the purpose of making the cutlery items of the present invention.
Material choices for such applications are governed by a variety of
factors including consumer preferences, cost, engineering
requirements, availability and other economic and market factors.
The primary selection criteria for a base plastic material or resin
include (1) mechanical and thermal functionality with respect to
strength, rigidity, and use temperature; (2) acceptable melt
viscosity and flow properties for injection molding into desired
shapes with high surface gloss; (3) ability to withstand the
metallizing process and offering reasonably high surface energy to
effect good adhesion between the plastic resin and the applied
metal layer; (4) reasonable cost for disposable use; and (5) good
optical and surface gloss properties.
According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the cutlery
articles are coated on one side only, the light transmission
characteristics or transparency of the material are also important
for obtaining metallized cutlery articles that emulate metal
flatware, and offer the appearance of being coated on both sides
(the metallized side as well as the opposing side) yet are coated
on one side only.
Several thermoplastic resins having the desired optical and
functional characteristics including polystyrene (PS), polymethyl
methacrylate (PMMA), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS),
styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and polycarbonate (PC) can be employed
for achieving the objects of this invention. Polystyrene (PS) was
the material of choice for some embodiments of the invention.
Polystyrene resin has a lower cost compared to ABS, PC and SAN. It
is the general experience of those skilled in the art that
polystyrene cutlery is perceived as the higher end disposable
cutlery in the marketplace. One criterion for selecting crystal
polystyrene for this application is the relatively high flexural
modulus of polystyrene compared to other resin materials in an
equivalent price range. More specifically, the flexural modulus of
polystyrene is superior to that of polypropylene. Crystal
polystyrene has excellent light transmission characteristics due to
its amorphous polymeric structure as opposed to polypropylene,
which is highly crystalline in nature. In addition, variable
cooling rates such as are encountered in the injection molding
process have little effect on the light transmission
characteristics of the molded article due to the amorphous
polymeric structure of polystyrene. In other words, crystal
polystyrene has a large processing window with respect to its
optical characteristics. In addition, polystyrene exhibits a higher
surface energy compared to polypropylene and other polyolefins and,
therefore, offers better metal-to-substrate adhesion compared to
polyolefin resins.
Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, the cutlery items
are molded from a suitable crystal polystyrene resin grade having
good clarity; physical properties; and, desirable flow, melt
viscosity and molding characteristics from a production and
manufacturing standpoint. Processing aids that are routinely added
to commercial resins such as mineral oil and surface waxes are
exuded to the surface of the part and interfere with obtaining
adequate adhesion between the deposited metal and the part surface.
Therefore, in order to ensure that durable metal coatings are
deposited on the surface of the cutlery article, the resin used
must be of high quality and primarily free of mineral oil and other
volatiles.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the
reflective appearance of a metallized plastic article would, inter
alia, be influenced by the surface characteristics of the
unmetallized plastic article; the metal coating itself, the tint
coloration of the article, and the thickness of the metal coating.
Coatings deposited by vacuum or vapor deposition are sufficiently
thin to replicate the surface of the substrate. Therefore, metallic
coatings deposited on smooth and polished surfaces will have higher
reflectance compared to metallic coatings deposited on rough and
unpolished surfaces.
Also, it is generally recognized that extremely thin coatings are
generally not as reflective as thicker coatings. The non-reflective
aspect of such thin coatings is utilized in food containers for
microwave heating and browning of certain foods, wherein reflective
characteristics for such articles would cause harmful effects such
as sparking when subjected to microwave energy.
In addition, it is well known that certain metals are more
reflective than others at comparable coating thickness.
Accordingly, in one of the embodiments of the invention plastic
cutlery articles are molded using a polished mold surface to obtain
a smooth part surface finish after molding. The smooth surface or
finish on the articles allows deposition of smooth and reflective
metal coatings. It will be appreciated that in order to emulate the
appearance of a metal silverware article the metal coating should
resemble the metal silverware; and, the surface of the plastic
cutlery article is sufficiently smooth to allow for deposition of a
smooth metallic film. In one embodiment of the invention a plastic
article is subjected to vacuum deposition and metallized with a
thin coating of stainless steel that is at least 30 nanometers in
thickness and typically more than 60 nanometers in thickness, yet
have an aesthetically pleasing reflective appearance.
It is well known in the art to provide an ornate pattern or design
on the surface of a plastic part by engraving. According to another
embodiment of the invention the cutlery articles can be further
accentuated by providing alternating smooth and engraved surfaces
during molding whereby the variations in surface finish on the part
effect variations in reflectance after metallization of the cutlery
articles and the reflective coating highlights the molded-in
design.
Referring now to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B there are shown
typical cutlery items, which have been constructed in accordance
with the present invention wherein like parts are designated by
like reference numerals.
FIG. 1A shows an isometric perspective view of a fork represented
by reference numeral 10 having its general construction in
accordance with the present invention. Fork 10 has a tines portion
11 and a handle portion 12. Fork 10 also contains surface features
in the form of flutes or other geometrical artistic contours
generally denoted by reference numeral 13. A surface-coating layer
of metal is deposited on at least one of the surfaces of the
plastic fork to impart the appearance of a metallic cutlery piece.
In another embodiment of the invention the metallic coating is
applied to the display side or the side that is facing-up in a
typical place setting presentation for a food-event. The metallic
coating on the plastic surface of the fork is denoted by reference
numeral 14.
FIG. 1B shows a side view of Fork 10 wherein the various fork
portions are identified with the corresponding reference numeral
designations of FIG. 1A. The metallic coating is imparted on only
the upper face or display surface of the plastic fork and is
represented by reference numeral 14.
Referring now to FIG. 2A, there is shown an isometric perspective
view of a spoon represented by reference numeral 20 having its
general construction in accordance with the present invention.
Similarly, FIG. 2B shows a side view of spoon 20 wherein like
reference numerals represent like parts or features. Spoon 20 has a
bowl portion 21 and a handle portion 22. Spoon 20 also contains
surface features in the form of flutes or other geometrical
artistic contours generally denoted by reference numeral 23. A
surface-coating layer of metal is deposited on at least one of the
surfaces of the plastic spoon to impart the appearance of a
metallic cutlery piece. In a further embodiment of the invention
the metallic coating is applied to the display side or the side
that is facing-up in a typical place setting for a food-event. The
metallic coating on the plastic surface of the spoon is denoted by
reference numeral 24.
FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively show isometric and side views of a
knife represented by reference numeral 30 having its general
construction in accordance with the present invention. Knife 30 has
a blade portion 31 and a handle portion 32. Knife 30 also contains
surface features in the form of flutes or other artistic contours
generally denoted by reference numeral 33. A surface-coating layer
of metal is deposited on at least one of the surfaces of the
plastic knife to impart the appearance of a metallic cutlery piece.
In yet another embodiment of the invention the metallic coating is
applied to only one of the sides of the knife. The metallic coating
on the plastic surface of the knife is denoted by reference numeral
34.
Referring now to FIG. 4 there is shown a rear cross-section of a
typical cutlery item 40. The stem portion of the cutlery item 40 is
denoted by reference numeral 42. In the described embodiment the
stem 42 has various curved and flute-like features on its surface
denoted by reference numeral 43. The cutlery item has a metallic
coating applied on one of its surfaces shown in the cross-sectional
view by reference numeral 44. The metallic coating 44 is very thin
in relation to the bulk of the article (not shown to scale) and
follows the contours on the surface of the part. The thickness of
the metallic coating can vary depending upon the particular
application and in certain embodiments is less than 3,000
nanometers. In further embodiments of the invention the thickness
of the metallic coating is less than 1,000 nanometers. It would be
readily apparent to those skilled in the art that due to the metal
weight, cost, and coating time considerations, a thin metallic
layer is commercially desirable. For example, in one embodiment of
the invention, the thickness of the metallic coating is less than
about 200 nanometers. The thickness of the metal depends upon the
properties of the plastic and the metal, with the overall objective
of achieving a satisfactory metal-like appearance.
The cutlery items in FIG. 1A through FIG. 3A have been shown as
having particular configurations and specific design feature
ratios, e.g. fork-tine length to overall fork length, spoon bowl
length to overall spoon length, and knife blade length to overall
knife length. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the
art that these cutlery items are manufactured and marketed in a
variety of geometrical configurations, feature ratios and sizes.
The physical configurations and design features and aspect ratios
exhibited here are done for the purpose of illustration and not by
way of limitation. Furthermore, various patterns and ornamental
features as are known in the art can adorn the stem, and the
present invention is applicable to any such designs.
Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown an isometric perspective
view of a knife represented by reference numeral 50 having its
general construction in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention. Knife 50 has a first portion 50A and a
second portion 50B. According to this embodiment the first portion
50A of the knife 50 is metallized while the second portion 50B
retains its as-molded appearance. The first and second portions of
the knife 50 may be further adapted to have different physical
characteristics. Alternatively, the first and second portions may
be adapted to coincide with distinct physical or functional
sections of the article. As shown in FIG. 5, first portion 50A is
adapted to be the blade portion 51, and second portion 50B is
adapted to be the handle portion 52 of knife 50. It will be
recognized by those of ordinary skill that the first and second
portions, shown herein, are exemplary divisions of the article and
will not always necessarily refer to or coincide with specific
physical, geometrical, or functional features of an article. The
blade portion 51 contains a plurality of serrations 53. The handle
portion 52 contains a plurality of surface features or patterns
generically denoted by reference numeral 53. A surface-coating
layer of metal is deposited on at least one of the surfaces of the
blade portion 51 to impart the appearance of a metallic cutlery
piece. The metallic coating on the blade portion 51 of the plastic
surface of the knife is denoted by reference numeral 55. The handle
portion 52 of knife 50 is not coated with a metallic layer and
retains the basic initial appearance of the plastic surface. Thus,
the blade portion 51 displays a metallic appearance while handle
portion displays a non-metallic appearance.
According to a variant of the embodiment of the invention, shown in
FIG. 5, the metallic coating 55 is applied to only the display side
of the knife and wherein the blade portion 51 is constructed from a
light transmitting plastic resin while the handle portion 52 is
constructed from a colored plastic resin.
Metal coating on the cutlery items can be applied by any of the
known vacuum deposition procedures or techniques. Vacuum
metallization or deposition is the deposition of a film or coating
in a vacuum or low-pressure plasma environment. The term plasma
generally refers to an ion- or electron-rich gaseous environment
for providing appreciable electrical conductivity. Vacuum
deposition is a term that is applied to processes that deposit
atoms or molecules one at a time, such as in physical vapor
deposition (PVD) or low-pressure chemical vapor deposition
(LPCVD).
Typical PVD techniques can be used for accomplishing the objectives
of the current invention. In Physical vapor deposition or (PVD)
processes metallic particles are vaporized from a solid or liquid
source and transported as vapor through vacuum or low-pressure
gaseous or plasma environment. The vaporized material can be an
element, alloy or compound. The condensation of the particles
produces a thin-metallic coating or film on the substrate surface
and imparts a metallic look to the substrate. Various variants of
the PVD processes have been described in the art, including Vacuum
Evaporation, Sputter Deposition or Sputtering, Arc Vapor Deposition
and Ion Plating. Additional Evaporation techniques include Filament
Evaporation, Flash Evaporation, and Electron-beam Evaporation.
Deposited film or coating thickness typically obtained by PVD
processes ranges from few nanometers to thousands of nanometers.
PVD processes can be used to form thick deposits through multilayer
coatings that can be imparted in a series of steps. Very thick
coatings are generally not commercially desirable due to higher
costs associated with increasing amounts of coating material needed
for thick coatings, and longer processing times required for
deposition thereof. Furthermore, extended deposition times may
cause over heating and thermal distortion of the plastic article
being coated. As would be realized by those of ordinary skill,
metal coating thickness deposited on a commercial article becomes a
practical and economic decision as long as the aesthetic appearance
is satisfied. According to an embodiment of the present invention,
the metallic coating on the surface of the articles is generally
less than 3000 nanometers (nm) and in a further embodiment of the
invention is less than 1000 nm. In yet another embodiment of the
invention the metallic coating is less than 200 nm in thickness.
And in yet an even further embodiment, the metallic coating is at
least 30 nm.
To summarize, according to some of the embodiment of the present
invention: (1) the cutlery articles are made of a
light-transmitting grade of a thermoplastic resin material; (2) the
thermoplastic resin is substantially free of mineral oil and other
volatile additives; (3) the metallic coating is applied by a
physical vapor deposition (PVD) process; (4) the metallic coating
is applied to only one side of the cutlery articles; (5) the
metallic coating is of the same composition as the stainless steel
alloy used in permanent flatware; and (6) The metallic coating
thickness is less than 200 nanometers but greater than about 30
nm.
In one embodiment of the present invention the metallic coating is
applied to the plastic cutlery items molded from polystyrene by
sputtering vacuum deposition process (also referred to as sputter
deposition or sputtering) on only the display side of the plastic
cutlery items.
Sputtering or sputter deposition is a PVD coating process which is
conducted in an evacuable coating or sputtering chamber. The source
of the coating material, the target, is mounted opposite to the
substrate items in the sputtering chamber which is then evacuated
to a base pressure which typically ranges from 10.sup.-5 to
10.sup.-10 Torr (1 Torr=1 mm Hg) depending upon the process or
application. Thereafter, the evacuated coating chamber is
backfilled with a continuous flow of an inert gas such as Argon to
a pressure of 1 to 100 mTorr (1 mTorr=0.001 Torr=0.001 mm Hg) to
create a gas plasma or glow discharge between the metal target and
the item or substrate to be coated. A negative DC or RF voltage is
applied to the metal sputtering target (metal source) in order to
initiate positive-ion bombardment. Positively charged gas ions,
generated in the plasma region, are propelled at high velocities
towards the target (negative potential), resulting in the ejection
of atomic size particles of the metal target (source material) that
are directed towards the substrate. Thus, Sputtering is a
non-thermal vaporization process where surface atoms are physically
ejected from the metal source or target by momentum transfer or
exchange from an energetic bombarding particle or gaseous ion
accelerated from the plasma. A particular advantage of the
sputtering technique is the ability for depositing metals as well
as metal alloys and is well suited for depositing stainless steel
alloy compositions of the type typically employed for making
traditional metal cutlery.
Generally, the metallic coating deposited on the articles displays
the characteristic color of the metal source. However, tints can be
incorporated in the metal source or the base metal or by using an
appropriate reactive gas during the deposition process for
imparting a tinted reflective appearance to the plastic
articles.
In testing of one of the embodiments, commercial plastic cutlery
pieces in the form of a fork, spoon and knife made from either
polystyrene or polypropylene were introduced into a lab-size
sputtering chamber. The sputtering equipment was provided by
Soleras, Inc. A stainless steel target was mounted in the
sputtering chamber. The particular composition of stainless steel
was 304. The chamber was then pumped down until a vacuum was
reached in the range around 10.sup.-3 mm Hg. Argon was supplied to
the chamber to generate the plasma. A negative voltage in the range
of 5 to 10 kW was applied to the cathode in the evacuated chamber.
The coating operation at this setting was continued for about 1 to
5 seconds. Following coating, the power was turned off and vacuum
was then released allowing the pressure in the chamber to rise to
atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, the chamber was opened and parts
were removed from the chamber and examined. Various tests were
conducted on the plastic cutlery items for peel-off adhesion. In
some trials, coating was applied to both sides of a part. In other
iterations it was applied to only one side of the part.
It was found that polystyrene cutlery exhibits much better coating
adhesion compared to polypropylene cutlery. In this particular test
example--power setting of 7.5 kW and 3-second sputtering time were
deemed to be the optimum conditions for good adhesion, surface
appearance and uniformity of coating. The most remarkable finding
from this experimental work was that the coating could be applied
to just one side of the clear polystyrene part to obtain the
desired metallic look or effect. This unexpected result reduces
manufacturing time and the complexity of manufacturing while at the
same time providing twice the utilization of the metal target.
Thus, one sided coating was obtained by presenting only the display
side of the plastic article to the metal source or target while the
underside of the plastic article was facing away from the metal
source and was not directly presented to the metal source. Coating
on both sides would have required presenting both the display side
and the underside to the metal source and would have required two
separate metallizing operations.
For a given hardware and power setting configuration, the metal
deposition or the thickness of the metal layer is proportional to
the duration of sputtering. When a clear or transparent article is
subjected to sputter vapor deposition or sputtering for very short
durations (typically less than 1 second) the resulting metal-layer
is also very thin and merely imparts a hue to the article. The
article as a result is not very reflective and practically retains
its light-transmitting character. An increase in the duration of
sputtering (sputter time) results in a corresponding increase in
the metal-layer thickness and the reflectance of the article and a
corresponding reduction in the light-transmission.
A useful tool for monitoring the thickness of the metal layer
applied to a clear article is an optical densitometer which
measures optical density of the article.
Optical density is represented by the following equation:
OD=log.sub.10(1/T) (1) Where OD is optical density, and T is
Transmittance Transmittance, T is defined by the following
equation: T=I/I.sub.o (2) Where, I is the intensity of transmitted
light, and I.sub.o is intensity of incident light.
Thus, for a completely transparent material or article, the optical
density is 0 (log.sub.101=0), since transmittance (the ratio of the
intensities of transmitted light to incident light) is 1. It would
be appreciated by those skilled in the art that increasing the
amount of coating or deposition time would result in a
corresponding reduction in the intensity of transmitted light and
therefore a corresponding reduction in transmittance and an
increase in optical density. However, after a certain point,
increasing the amount of deposited metal will only bring marginal
improvements in optical density due to the logarithmic relationship
between optical density and transmittance. For an article having a
transmittance of 0.1 or transmitting 10% of incident light the
optical density is 1.0 (log.sub.1010=1). For an article having a
transmittance of 0.01 or transmitting 1% of incident light the
optical density is 2.0 (log.sub.10100=2). Similarly, for an article
having a transmittance of 0.001 or transmitting 0.1% of incident
light the optical density is 3.0 (log.sub.101000=3).
Typical cutlery articles molded from clear polystyrene resin
according to an embodiment of the current invention have an
"initial optical density" of between 0 and 0.3. The term "initial
optical density" as used herein refers to the "optical density
prior to metallization". Once again, optical density for the clear
articles is dependent on the nature of the molded surface, the
thickness of the plastic article and the presence of any surface
features on the article. As these clear articles are
vacuum-metallized, they exhibit increasing optical densities in
proportion to the duration of metallizing and/or the thickness of
the metallic coating. At optical density values of less than about
0.5, the overall appearance of the articles is generally considered
unacceptable due to the lack of sufficient aesthetic appeal and
poor reflectivity. At optical density values above 0.5, the
articles have a fair degree of reflectivity and deemed suitable for
certain events.
As the optical density of the article is increased from 0.5 to 0.8,
a general increase in reflectance is observed, although the metal
layer still tends to be very thin. As optical density of the
article in increased above 0.8 the articles begins to exhibit
sufficient opacity and a more attractive metallic appearance. At
about the 1.5 optical density level, the metallized parts have
sufficient opacity or reflective properties and are generally
considered acceptable according to an embodiment of the invention.
In another embodiment of the invention the optical density of the
metallized parts is below 2.0. In still another embodiment of the
invention the optical density of the metallized parts is below 3.0.
As should be readily apparent, an increase in optical density can
be readily attained by increased metal deposition or longer sputter
time. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill that the
optimal metal layer thickness or optical density is reached when
the article has acquired an attractive reflective appearance and
opacity for commercial acceptance. Once this optimal state is
reached enhancing optical density or increasing metal thickness
beyond the optimal state will not be economically beneficial. Once
again the determination of appropriate optical density (or metal
thickness) versus appearance is influenced by economics, with a
minimum optical density being about 0.5 on the lower end. Although
optical density values of about 5.5 are obtainable with vacuum
metallizing processes on clear parts, optical density values of
above 1.5 are typically deemed acceptable for the purpose of
metallized plastic cutlery.
A further method for enhancing optical density without increasing
sputter time or metal thickness is to incorporate a light
transmitting dye or tint in the base material or resin. Typically
grayish tints work well but tints in a variety of colors can be
utilized for enhancing the opacity of the cutlery item and
imparting other appearance effects. Since the tint itself provides
some degree of opacity the thickness of the metallic coating layer
thickness can be proportionally reduced to improve the economics of
the process. For instance, a clear plastic cutlery article may have
an initial optical density (prior to metallization) of 0-0.2;
however, the addition of a tint in the base resin can readily
increase the initial optical density of the cutlery article by
about 0.1 to 0.5, in other words the range of initial optical
density of the tinted cutlery article would become 0.1 to 0.7,
therefore the amount of metal required to achieve a final desired
optical density would be commensurately reduced. According to an
embodiment of the invention plastic cutlery having adequate
reflective characteristics is produced by incorporating color tints
in the base resin and depositing an extremely thin metal layer
having a thickness of between 30 nm to 60 nm.
According to another embodiment of the invention the plastic
article is molded from a plastic resin with two distinct
portions--a first portion and a second portion; and, wherein the
first portion is rendered clear or is tinted by using a light
transmitting tint added to the plastic resin, and the second
portion is colored with an opaque colorant incorporated into said
plastic resin, and wherein only the first portion of the plastic
article is metallized by a thin metallic coating.
Contact by the metallized cutlery with various foods could affect
the coating or cause peel-off, therefore the metallized cutlery was
subjected to confirmatory tests in a variety of food environments.
Tests included subjecting metallized cutlery to boiling water,
boiling tomato sauce, boiling water-vinegar mixture, lemon juice,
coffee, ice, thermal cycles with alternate exposure to boiling
water and ice-cold water, and shipping bulk cutlery across the
country. It must be noted that the coated cutlery is susceptible to
scratches due to abrasion as any ordinary metal cutlery.
It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a
prerequisite for practical use and commercial acceptance of
metallized plastic cutlery is that the metallic coating layer
should exhibit sufficient adhesion to the plastic material and
reasonable abrasion resistance for utilization as a food implement.
Tape peel tests are normally used for testing the adhesion between
the cutlery item surface and the metal layer deposited thereon.
Adhesion is also related to abrasion resistance or durability of
the coating. Adhesion and abrasion resistance of the deposited
metal layer to the substrate surface can be enhanced by a variety
of methods.
As indicated earlier, the adhesion between the plastic substrate or
the plastic article and the deposited metal layer can be enhanced
by utilizing a volatiles free resin completely free of mineral oil
and other lubricants. Another way to improve adhesion and abrasion
resistance of the metallic coating it to pre-treat the surface of
the plastic part by either flame treatment, plasma treatment or
corona treatment for increasing the surface energy of the cutlery
item. Surface treatments for enhancing the surface energy of
plastic parts are well known in the art. For example, a typical
corona treatment can enhance the surface energy of a polystyrene
part from 35 dynes to about 46 dynes.
Yet another method for improving abrasion resistance or durability
of the metallic coating is to apply a light transmitting heat- or
UV-curable coating, which serves to seal-off the deposited metal
layer. Such coating compositions are well known in the art and are
used to provide a barrier overcoat over a variety of articles
including Compact disks and DVDs. FDA approved compositions of
hardenable clear coatings, which can be applied by spraying, are
also readily available for covering food service articles.
Further improvement in coating strength can be achieved by
subjecting a vacuum metallized cutlery article to a secondary
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process for depositing a thin over
coating of a substantially clear and abrasion resistant material.
For example plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) process can be used to
deposit thin films of Silicon dioxide or other clear materials.
Another technique for improving adhesion of the metallic coating to
the article is by utilizing a mixture of Argon and Nitrogen for
plasma generation in the sputtering chamber during metal
deposition. The typical concentration of Nitrogen in the Nitrogen
and Argon mixture is between 10% and 40%. Sputter deposition
conducted with a mixture of Nitrogen and Argon yields a metal layer
with enhanced durability compared to Argon plasma alone.
The inventors have discovered that subjecting the metallized
plastic cutlery articles to a curing process after metallizing,
results in a spontaneous improvement of metal to plastic adhesion
as well as the abrasion resistance of the metallic coating. The
curing can be accomplished by simply storing the metallized
articles in a clean and dry area. The spontaneous improvement in
plastic to metal layer adhesion and abrasion characteristics of the
metallic layer continues for several days after the parts are
vacuum metallized. It is preferable that during the curing process
the parts are stored under relatively dry or low-humidity
conditions. Appreciable improvement in the adhesion and abrasion
characteristics of the metal layer to the plastic article is
typically seen within 24 to 72 hours of curing at room temperature
after metallizing. In an embodiment of the invention the metallized
articles are stored for a period of about 2 weeks prior to
commissioning them for use or sale. The term curing period, storing
period, holding period, post-metallizing holding period have been
used here to connote that the plastic articles are held in a
quiescent or undisturbed state after metallizing.
It is also seen that the rate of curing can be accelerated by
subjecting the parts to a higher temperature and relatively low
humidity environment. Thus, if the parts are heated during the
curing or holding period the rate of improvement in both adhesion
and abrasion characteristics is faster.
A useful method of manufacture of metallized plastic cutlery and
other tableware according to the present invention is as
follows:
Step 1: Molding plastic cutlery using traditional injection molding
techniques.
Step 2: Taking out the plastic cutlery from the mold using a part
take-out device such as a side-entry or top-entry robot.
Step 3: Placing the individual pieces of cutlery in a
non-contiguous manner on transferring or conveying means wherefrom
cutlery parts are transferred to a vacuum depositing station.
Cutlery pieces are maintained in an individualized or
non-contiguous manner to prevent surface masking by adjacent
cutlery pieces during metallizing or coating.
Step 4: Subjecting plastic cutlery to a vacuum deposition
process.
Step 5: Collecting plastic cutlery that has been metallized and
subjecting it to a curing process for enhancing packing them into
suitable packaging containers for shipping.
Step 6: Holding the packaged container in a clean and dry area for
a predetermined post-metallizing holding period prior to committing
metallized plastic cutlery for use or sale.
The predetermined post-metallizing holding period in step 6 can be
as long as 45 days. In one embodiment of the invention the holding
period is about 2 weeks. Step 6 can be conducted either at room
temperature, or at a single elevated temperature, or at plurality
of temperatures during the curing period. In one embodiment of the
invention the curing for metallized articles is conducted at room
temperature for about two weeks. According to another embodiment of
the invention the metallized articles are subjected to curing at a
temperature of up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 to 3
hours.
Although, this invention has been described particularly in
relation to metallizing plastic cutlery, it will be recognized that
it is applicable to general food service items, tableware and other
industries wherein it is desired to impart metallic coating onto
plastic and non-plastic parts. Also, it would be realized by those
skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations and
adaptations can be made to this invention without departing from
the spirit and scope of this invention.
Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the
foregoing description, together with details of structures and
functions of the present invention, and some of the novel features
thereof are pointed out in appended claims. The disclosure,
however, is illustrative only, and change may be made in
arrangement and details, within the principle of the invention, to
the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms
in which the appended claims are expressed.
The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has
been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It
is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are
possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope
of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but
rather by the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *
References